The Heart of An Ugly Beast
by Lycoris Iris
Summary: One shot Cardverse AU! King Alfred had been searching for his queen,years after the death of his mother. When he found him in the magical forest and the queen position was rejected,he was shocked.


**A/N: Well,I have nothing much to say. I just hope you guys enjoy the story. Please review to tell me what you think of this story and some constructive criticism for me to improve! Also,** **I've tried to edit it as much as i can,so I'm really sorry for any possible errors.**

 **Now,onto the story!**

 **Again,enjoy!**

The King of Spades,Alfred Frederick Jones,has been ruling the kingdom with his Jack,Yao Wang,for a hundred years. The ruler will get to live for a long time and their looks will never age,as long as they're fit and deemed worthy to rule their kingdom by the clock. It stopped aging the moment the mark appeared and lucky for Kiung Alfred,his look was always that of nineteen years old.This,also applied to the three kingdoms,Heart,Club and Diamond.

The clock was hold by the Jokers,a natural party in the Deck.

As said,the King of Spades has been ruling the kingdom with his Jack,which meant they have no queen for a hundred year as well. The three kingdoms already had their own queens and only the Spades Kingdom hadn't.

The king,of course,was worried for not having a queen alongside him. He had made a search through the kingdom for years,but,to no avail,it failed.

To be a ruler of a kingdom,the mark of the kingdom will appeared on the right side of their neck after any of the position holder died. It could take days,weeks or years for it to appear and fortunately,the king and the jack was the earliets and easiest to find as sometimes the rulers can come from peasents. Then their lives to rule will be decided by the clock.As long as the clock still ticking,they will live.

That is to say,actually,only Jack Yao were the one who ruled along for a hundred year with the king's mother then him,because his mother were still alive for a few years after the mark of Spades formed on his right neck after the death of his father.

A bad ruler will only rule the kingdom for a few years,but for a good one,it will be long. King Alfred was indeed a good king,he helped his kingdom's economy to grow better,having a peace treat with the other kingdoms and lessen the corruption.

However,it was not an easy feat to do. He got a lot of obstacles and the peace treat sometime broken by each of the kingdoms and they got into wars for a few years.

Also,not every nobles in the kingdom like him,jealousy tend to do that and also,corruption sometimes went undetectable until a big problem arise.

Though,he didn't really care about it that much because future has always been unpredictable and obstacles will always go into your way. All he had to do is to make sure everything is good as possible.

The peoples loved him back as much he loved them. As much as all the love he accepted from his peoples,he cannot denied that he wants the love of his queen. He never went seeing anyone because he's too focused on his queen and no one really entice him.

His queen,he really wants to know. Is his queen,a he or a she? In the Deck,whether the king,queen or jack,a female or male is nothing uncommon. So long they rule with justice,kindness and gallantly.

Today,the sky is clear,no clouds and bright. King Alfred had always love it whenever the weather is clear and it bring tranquility to his muddled mind as being a ruler had never been easy.

Then,he decided,he need to take a ride into the forest. Taking a ride into the forest helped him to feel much more better in the clear weather So,he called Jack Yao to the library.

A man with ponytail black hair opened the library's door and closed it. His face downward and not until he bowed to the king,did he face the king.

"Yao,I'll be taking a ride to the forest right after this. Any matters shall come,I will let you to take care of it. However,if it's really an important one,you knew the route I always take," he said,like always he did whenever he went away for a moment.

"Yes,Your Highness." And the jack bowed again and excused himself out. Satisfied with the answer,the king also walked out of the library and went to the stable. He prepared his horse himself and he never let the stable men did it as he prefer himself to do it.

He hopped on his horse and started his ride into the magical forest. He can hear the birds chirping as he entered the forest and saw a few little animals climbing tree and smell the fragrant of nice flowers. As it's name said,a magical forest,of course there are magical residents in it. What would it be called that if it doesn't have it's magical residents in it. He saw a few tree fairies above a tree and a few dryads along the way. Though,mostly prefer to hide themselves or just ignore humans as they were passed by. Yet,they did converse with humans sometimes.

As the king was taking his ride on his usual route,he saw a person. How odd,he thought,but sometimes he will saw a few person come here. So,he thought nothing far.

As his horse keep walking slowly through the forest,the view of the person he saw earlier becoming clear. His hair is a golden locks like him but much more fainter. His hair is a mess unlike his well combed hair with a cowlick. Then,when the said person turn around,he can see his eyes perfectly. A pair of clear,beautiful emerald like eyes and not hidden behind a glasses like him. How beautiful,he thought,as he stopped his horse. Then,he can see that the person had large eyebrows,like caterpillar above his eyes yet he still found him to be so beautiful.

He got off of the animal and slowly walked towards the person. The said person,who is busy at the moment picking fruits,stopped at doing the task. He then turn around and stare at the king,waiting for him to say something.

As the king get closer and closer,he noticed something. The mark of Spades,on the right side of his neck! His queen! He miraculously found HIS QUEEN in the forest! He didn't realized he had stopped walking and now staring at the person with a wide smile forming on his face.

He then stood up from his place and the king found out that he's a bit shorter. Well,that is perfect for him to hug his queen.

"Your Highness,good afternoon," he greeted with a bow and a stoic face. Then,King Alfred noticed,ever since he batted eyes with him,he never once give out an emotion,not even scared(not that he wanted his queen to be scared by him).

"Yes,good afternoon." Before he can say his next words,the man in front of him already saying something.

"But before any questions you wanted to ask,Your Highness,I bluntly had to say,I did not intend to become your queen."

That,deflated all his happy feelings to a sinking feeling. He found he cannot open his mouth,he is speechless. Then,the shorter man lift his feet to leave but after a few steps,he stopped when the taller man grasped his hand and opened his mouth, "why?".

"I simply cannot,Your Highness. Now,excuse me." And,he walked away,out of King Alfred's sight. The king,again,found himself speechless. He just stand there,petrified and unable to move until after a moment. He wanted to chase him and beg for real answer,but,he supposed,it won't work. He knew that,sometime,people with that kind of attitude really didn't want to be asked or chased.

The king went back to the palace with a sullen look. Everyone's curious about the sudden changed of the king's emotions but no one dared to ask. They knew,if they asked,they king will only dismiss them because he needed time to be alone.

That night,after dinner,once again Jack Yao was called to the library. He entered with the same manners,well,that was how he did just like a hundred years ago,whether to him or his late mother.

"Yao…" then,he sighed, "I found the queen…miraculously…in the forest…when I went to the forest."

Yao is elated by the news. His usual stoic face can be seen loosening and shining. The queen had finally been found,and by the king no less! This is a great news yet why the king was not happy?

"I was really happy when I saw him."

So,it's a he.

"But then,before I'm able to say to him that he need to come with me and before I'm able to inquire him any more questions,he declined the his position."

And the jack understand why the king had been sullen after he came back from the forest. The king explained to his jack for why the said person didn't want to be the queen. Just like his king,he was stunned too. No words coming out and silenced decorated the room.

Then,he opened his mouth. "Your Highness,how about you start going to the forest whenever you can,to see him. The reason why we never see him or the reason why no one had ever reported about seeing a man with the mark of Spades,was probably because he live in the forest. But that is just myself assuming things. Because,there can also be other possibilities too."

The king opened his mouth and then close it again,and he nodded in understanding.

They then proceed to discuss a few more plans in order to catch the heart of Queen of Spades that he had found.

That night,King Alfred slept contentedly despite the unknown hurdles that will come tomorrow. Being a king for a hundred year let him know that,even if you worry about a lot of things and keep thinking about it,it would not solve the problems itself. Better to rest your body and mind in order to face it.

The sun rise and he woke up earlier then he always did. He was too excited to carry on the plan but it did him well as he was able to finish his works early. After that,he went back into the forest to search for his queen.

When he cannot find him by using his usual route,he tried to find him using another route. Alas,he did not find him by the end of the day. He tried again for the next day,and again,and again. After a week,he still didn't find him.

Last week,they had discussed other imaginable reasons for why he was never sighted in the city. Moving from another kingdom,hiding the mark when going anywhere,hidden by family for so long and concealing the mark with magic. Still,the first logic that Yao had thought about,him living in the forest was the most reasonable one. Oh,and there is another reason,the jokers.

Looks like he is going to invite the jokers tonight for dinner.

Dinner time had come and the jokers came early than expected by the king.

There were only two jokers in the Deck,Gilbert and Peter. Gilbert was a guy with white hair and reddish eyes that can be kind of scary sometimes. While,Peter was a blond kid with blue eyes and eyebrows just like his queen(maybe they were relative or sibling). Who knows. They both were talking and laughing before dinner.

"Good evening,gentlemen," the king greeted them with a tired smile when he walk into the diner room. He was tired from searching his queen in his free time after finishing works. Yao also greeted them but with no smile. He just keep his smile whenever he's working and tired,but any other time,you can find him smiling and making jokes.

They greeted back with wide grins,then they started eating together.

"So,what do you want from us?" Gilbert asked,watching the king and the jack intently while eating. Peter did the same too.The jokers were never summoned or invited unless it's a serious matters.

"Both of you knew about the queen,right?" King Alfred asked.

"The queen? What do you mean?" Gilbert asked again.

"Don't play with me,Gilbert. You did knew the queen's clock had start ticking,right?"

Peter then turned his attention to Gilbert,looking at him then at the king again and take another small piece of the meat. Gilbert didn't answered right away,instead,like Peter,he took another piece of the meat. All playfulness ceased aside and seriousness seeping in.

Both rulers' heart were already bashing inside their ribcage,anxious for the answer with a tad of anger mixing in. Nonetheless,they keep their face stoic and serious,keeping their emotions in control and not showing it like an open book to others.

"When did you find him?" Gilbert inquired.

"So,you did knew him. Not only you knew that the queen's clock is ticking,but you also know who he is!" King Alfred's voice hitched a tad in the end.

"Yes,we did," Gilbert answered with a calm emeanor.

"Then,why did you both never tell us anything about this? I'd been waiting for so long for my queen. I had been searching for my queen. How can he hid for years?"

"King Alfred,the only answer that I can give to you is,you have to ask all of those questions to him. I wish I can tell you all the answers behind all those queries," he explained,no weird laugh as always. "You need to ask him by yourself,because he did not like it if other people try to know his personal self."

"Yes,it's true! The jerk hate it," Peter supported Gilbert.

"See,the little shrimp here agreed with me."

Peter frowned at him, "I'm not a little shrimp!"

The white haired man cackled and brush his hair into a mess. Annoyed,the kid jabbed the older man's side and Gilbert apologized while laughing and clutching his side. Then,they stopped playing around and continue eating.

The king didn't want to argue with that. He knew how it felt when you don't want other people to know about you,but,it was only if he dislike them. They then just continue eating with heavy silence but it's not uncomfortable. Before the jokers said their thanks and bid them farewell after dinner,he asked them his name. But,Gilbert only give him a shrug.

"I apologize,Your Highness. Again,I cannot say anything." With that final words,they disappeared.

King Alfred and Jack Yao went to the library to discuss the matter.

"I regretted that I didn't chased him last week," he expressed his feeling. "If I did,maybe we'll know a few things."

"Maybe not too,Your Highness. Rest for now,I'm sure fate will bring your queen to you."

He scoffed and smirk dryly, "I hope so."

King Alfred dismissed Jack Yao to rest early and he still sitting alone in the library. There were so many books inside the library;old documents,dusty books,history books and a lot more. He sometimes would reread them,but tonight,he didn't have the feeling to. He didn't know why he felt heavy and sad,maybe it's because the man didn't want to be his queen,he didn't know.

Why did he didn't want to be the queen? Shouldn't the jokers be relentless about this? King Alfred's mind is swirling with questions. Slowly and slowly,his eyes is getting heavy. Before,thinking too much would made him awake but now,it will only make him sleepy. The emotions are too much sometime. Well,he's old.

"Now what?" Gilbert asked the green eyed man. "He already saw you the other day."

Both jokers are now in the said man's house,the man who supposed to be the queen. They are stargazing outside the man's comfortable cottage in the garden because it's nice to do that. With the river's flowing sound,the crickets cricketing,the fireflies flying around the river side with some pixies mixing in, and the flooding mass of stars decorating the night sky with the moon,it is very tranquil and serene.

"You really are a jerk,Arthur," said Peter.

Arthur ignored Peter and answer Gilbert's question, "there's time until the next new moon. Until then,I will be in my human form."

"Just like that? Arthur,why not you just become the queen just like what you are meant to be,and just forget everything. Past is past."

"Gilbert,I would love to do that. Really,but our lifetime is different from them human. I'd told you and you knew it yourself. We live years much more than them and see their life passed before our live. Everything is still fresh to me. I've live far more longer than him. He could probably not be deemed worthy by the clock in 50 years to come," Arthur retorted.

"I don't want to be the queen and as long as I live,I don't want to be anyone's queen. They would judge for who I am. The best I can do is to die. I don't even know why the clock hasn't stop ticking yet," he said and smiled dryly.

"That is because the clock had deemed that you are a good queen!" Gilbert pratically shouting.

"By what value,Gilbert? By hiding in the forest after that accident and didn't even come out to be the queen? I don't think so." He laughed depracatingly.

Then Peter interject, "Then,why not become the queen before you do it?".

Gilbert agreed with Peter and said that Arthur should do it because they knew,despite how much the messy blond hair man didn't want to be a queen,he wanted to give something for the kingdom as he felt compelled to do so. He had a little of his pride in himself after all,but since it was not that much,he didn't always felt hurt for not doing his job sometimes. Arthur did told them one time before,that and they knew it.

But both jokers knew why the clock still haven't deemed Arthur unworthy. Arthur may thought he had done nothing but he actually had done a lot. He helped peoples who got lost in the forest back to their places,he would get out to the kingdom and bring anything from the forest to help the poor kids and families while covering his mark and offer them food cooked by Gilbert — because he didn't have the same taste buds as human.

That is why his clock is still ticking because even the clock know that Arthur is worthy. They even told Arthur about this when he asked why the clock is still ticking for him but he didn't believe them. Whenever that topic was said,they told him the same reason but they eventually stopped. Knowing that he wouldn't believe it and didn't even say anything when he said he's unworthy to be a queen.

Arthur was about to retort back that it would be appropriate to do that,but then,it struck him that it was not a bad idea. It's the best,if not,would be much more easier for him to complete his mission. He hugged Peter and thanked him.

They had a wonderful night under the starry night sky that night.

The next day,King Alfred went to the forest again to have his usual ride and not to find for his queen if he didn't want to be found. However,it seems like the day have something for him when he went in there. He saw the same messy blond hair! The king quickly got off from his horse and ran to him,grasping his wrist tightly as he doesn't want to let the other go.

Although it does make Arthur's mission easy,he wouldn't let himself be swayed easily. He made it hard for the king but slowly open up for the king and for the sake of his mission. He had to do this! He had to!

It took a month for the king to talk to him to be the queen which involved the king's day rest. But in the end,it worth it! Arthur agreed to come to the palace,and from there,Jack Yao can help him in persuading him.

Alfred asked Arthur a few times about why he didn't want to be the queen,but he didn't tell the truth. He lied,saying that he's too nervous and was not good with people as he'd lived in the forest so long,alone. Alfred believed him.

With that,the next new moon had come and Arthur haven't did his mission. He decided it will the next new moon again,but it didn't work because he really need to find a good time. He got persuaded to be the queen and again,when the time come,it didn't work. Instead,he officialy became the queen.

His coronation day was totally grand and amazing. Blue roses petals were everywhere and the musics resounding for the whole day and night of his coronation day. Came another new moon again,he was too busy with studying the job as a queen.

Then,another new moon came again and he's still not doing it,making the chance slipped away again. Slowly,he gained friends from the other kingdoms and his life started to change. He became close with the kings,the jacks and the queens.

The closest one he's with is the Queen of Hearts,Kiku Honda. They shared the same passion for books,flowers and tea. They can talk a lot of stories of myths,legends,poems,sonnet and far away tales and analyzed them together. The topic for it is endless. They will also talk about flowers and it slowly changed to different topic each time and at some point of their talks,they will always talk about book.

Not only that,they will learnt a new things from each other,making them the most closest friends even more.

Seeing this happened,King Alfred can't helped but be jealous of them. He like Arthur ever since the first time they met in the forest,but fall in love even more as he get to know deeper about Arthur.

Being a king and a queen doesn't mean you have to marry each other. The examples can be seen between the King of Hearts,Ludwig Beildschmit with the Jack of Hearts,Feliciano Vargas,they love each other and that the Joker,Gilbert was together with the Queen of Club,Elizabeta Héderváry. As long you can rule well and able to do as much as you can for the kingdom,then loving other people is no problem.

The more he saw them talking and laughing around and drinking tea together,really irked him. Today,Queen Arthur is teaching Queen Kiku on how to do embroidery. When King Alfred passed the garden,which is the two's favorite place in general,he saw how close their distance are that he felt he should go into the middle of them and separate them from being too close.

He almost did it,almost but remembered that he had another things to do,he just have to cease the thought away.

That night,when they had dinner together,the king can see how the queen's face is full of happiness. Honestly,every time when Queen Kiku came here,Queen Arthur was like that. King Alfred felt like he didn't granted him happiness. Really,he always asked himself,what did he need to do to make his queen happy.

He showered Queen Arthur with gifts and jeweleries,but he always accepted them with a smile that was not really smile. It's more like an obligatory smile. Unbeknownst to him,the queen was only waiting the chance to launch his mission. He had overstayed his time here,he had to make it happen.

Before,he didn't care but now,everything is making him hoping again. He knew he just had to accept it and make him to see a whole new perspective of his life. But he didn't want to. He somehow fall in love again with Alfred because of old memories. He blamed it on himself who always wondered about 'did Alfred still do this and did he this and that'.

Not to mention that Alfred was being friendly to him,even though he knew that Alfred probably had forgotten that day long time ago. He's a human and his age was already more than a hundred. Old memories tend to subside especially the one where they wanted to forget. If Alfred did remember who he is,he would probably not going to admit Arthur is the Queen of Spades and rejected him.

He was torn apart of everything. What did he need to do? He asked himself about that question again and again,thinking about everything. In the end,he decided to just did his mission. It may sounded stupid,and well,yes,it is stupid. He doesn't want hope that someone will really love him eventually.

Yes,it will be stupid for him to be broken by what happened ago but,emotions can never be logic. When did it was? He thought he had overcome it but it seemed that it came back again,stronger than before.

From what he had seen of his peoples,he knew that what happened to him was just a mere problem,nothing compared to what they are going through. But,he had his choice and it would only be a shame of a queen like him stay. It would do nothing better for everyone and they will do good even without him. Why he was chosen as a queen,he didn't know. Why he hadn't deemed unworthy and died was beyond his grasp.

A new moon after a new moon had passed by ever since that day,he had lost count after the third because he's too busy with studying and managing the kingdom.

One day,the Jokers visited him when the King was out and the Jack was busy managing trade documents. Arthur was sitting by himself in his room,reading a lovely book in his free time and they appeared. He took notice of their presence and look up to them from his book. Gilbert was giving an irksome smile that he always declared an awesome smile with Peter innocent yet smugly grin. He doesn't like it,even a bit.

"What do you two want?" he asked,unamused but happy inside. He missed them.

"Seems like he totally became a queen," he said with a gleeful face.

Arthur just gave them his unamuse face and continue sipping his tea whilst reading his book. Soon,he put down his book as he found himself talking and laughing again with them. Oh how he missed the old days with them. The days where they will spend they day playing in the forest,the day where they come visiting him in any time and many more. They had so many sweet and bitter memories together,to leave them will be really hard but yes,he had to do it. He had delayed it for so long.

He still remember the day when he stated his vengeance because of a broken heart,they got into a fight. He knew he was being ridiculous but really,nothing ever logical with emotions and feelings.

Breaking the happy moment,he opened his mouth, "so,I'd decided. I will go with what I should have done a few new moons ago."

"And here I thought you are not going to do it," said Gilbert.

"You two know that other than the first reason,I cannot be in my human for so long. The longest one I can go is a year. Being in the human form suppresed my magic and eating my life. I need to be in my real form if I had to live longer. There is no way I can stay in human form forever. I'm going to need to transform back into my real self."

"Then,why not go back to the forest for a few days just to transform and rest. You can come back here after that and you don't have to die," Peter suggested.

Gilbert can only sighed inwardly,he knew that Peter really fond of Arthur despite how he sometimes said that Arthur is a jerk and he hate him.

"And do that without telling them the reason why? They will get suspicious. Even if I did it without telling them,they will be worried if the queen suddenly dissapear and search for me and asked me a lot of question when I appear again."

Gilbert rubbed his neck,this is difficult and he would hate it to lose Arthur. They are friends and no friends would want their friend to die.

Now,Arthur felt what he is going to do is not stupid. Whenever he did thought it was stupid,he always forgot the second reason of why he need to do it. It has always been like that. Probably his own subconcious was being angry with him.

"Why not being honest with the king?" Peter suggested another one. The kid had always been curious,it had passed for so long and surely the king would now accept Arthur than before.

"No,Peter. He would probably thought that I'm a witch disguising as my human form and kill me. Then,he would dispatched a searching mission for me."

"But maybe he would not be like that and accept you!"

"No means no,Peter. You know Arthur." Gilbert interjected.

"You jerk!" and with that,Peter went away.

The blond hair Queen sighed and slumped in his chair.

"So,how are you going to execute it?"

"I don't know. It will come to me."

"You had three months more."

"I know,Gilbert. I know."

Then,Gilbert excused himself to go and see Peter how he's faring. Actually,he can just asked the jokers to do the favor of executing it but,he knew they can't and they are friends. He knew,if his friends told him to kill him,he wouldn't do it nor he were able to.

Another month passed,and Queen Kiku came visiting again. Queen Arthur was really happy because this time,the Queen of Hearts is going to teach him how to draw. Once again,King Alfred was displeasured by this event but he just hide it.

Once the visit were over,King Alfred entered Queen Arthur's chamber. He had a solemn look on him.

Arthur was surprised by this and invited him to sit on the chair opposite to him.

"Are you alright,Your Highness?" he asked.

"Arthur,you…did you…love Queen Kiku?"

Well,that certainly is surprising.

"No."

Now,it's Alfred's turn to be surprised. His eyes were full of hope,suddenly,and then,he kneeled on one knee and took Arthur's hand. Arthur's heart then went thumping aloud and he can hear his own loud heart beat.

"Did you really not loving Queen Kiku?"

"Ye-yes." Arthur's face is going red.

"Then,may I have the honor of courting you?"

That is it. Arthur's face then went really red like a tomato and he answered with a stammering yes. That really made the king's heart wild and he hugged the queen tightly.

Ever since that day,everyone in the palace can see how the king was happy and how lovely he acts toward the queen. When Jack Yao know and see what happened,he,himself were happy for both of them.

However,they didn't know that the happiness would not last long. The next new moon is tonight and Arthur had prepared himself. He's going to meet with the jokers for the last time tonight. He told them to come to his chamber this evening to spend the last time together and even told the maids to bring some food into his chamber later.

The queen entered the library and saw that Alfred was doing his work.

"Oh hello,dear," Alfred greeted him once he went inside the library. He get up from his seat and walked to him and hug him.

Alfred really is still the same sweet man,just like he was towards Arthur years ago. This made his heart flutter but he knew what have to do.

"Did you have a lot of works today?"

"No. Why?"

"Can you…please go to forest tonight? I mean,when the night come. I want you to take something for me."

"What is it,dear?"

"A night red rose. It's a beautiful red rose that can only be found blooming at night but only on new moon. I forgot to bring it here when I was moving here from the forest. I want to go but… I have the jokers to meet with later."

Alfred agreed to help him and didn't question Arthur.

The evening came and the jokers came over. They talked but did not laughed,only wry smiles and giggles,reminiscing old days and being melancholy. Then,night came and Alfred went into the forest with a few of his guards.

Peter cried while hugging Arthur,he didn't want to let him go. Gilbert too,saddened by the fact Arthur is going to die. It was Arthur's choice ever since long ago and he had never deterred and backing down on his decision.

Alfred,while searching for the said flower,he imagined how happy Arthur will be when he come back with the red rose. Arthur had gave him a map to his cottage and they just walk to where Arthur told them to go. When they arrived there,they're mesmerized by the beauty of the surrounding. They had never seen any place in the kingdom that was as beautiful as what they saw. It's like something that came out of a drawing.

Then,as they were stunned by the beauty of the surrounding,one of the guard tell him that he had found a single red rose. Alfred went to see it and the redness of the rose was really red and beautiful. Somehow,he felt it was too bad to take the red rose but he have to. Arthur had told him to.

The queen said he just had to pluck the rose out from the ground together with it's root. Alfred felt odd by that because,from what he knew from his gardeners long time ago,you didn't have to do that. But,he just brush it off since Arthur insisted that he had to pluck it out. So,he did.

Back in the palace,Queen Arthur had transformed into his real and normal self. An ugly hairy beast with two small horn on his head. He had two long canines came out of his mouth.

With that,both jokers know,Arthur had finally died. He got his wish.

The next morning,the kingdom is in a mourning state. The words that their beloved queen had died making the whole kingdom shocked and full of sorrow. Jack Yao announced that Queen Arthur had died because of a sickness that he never told them but,only four people knew why. The jokers,the jack and the king. For the people in the palace,they are the in the same situation as the people in the kingdom. They only knew their queen died because of an illness.

Alfred dispatched three messanger,letting the Kingdom of Hearts,Diamonds and Club about Arthur's death. The other three kingdoms were saddened by this matter especially Queen Kiku.

The King took the hardest blow of Arthur's death,personally. To other people it's because they love each other and they can never be together. However it wasn't because of that that.

That night,when they returned from the forest and Alfred went to Arthur's chamber,he was not greeted with the sight of his beautiful queen. He was greeted by the sight of both jokers tearing up on a beast. Gilbert was hugging Peter from the back,and trying to separate Peter from the beast. However,Peter was hugging the beast really tight and didn't want to let go.

When they both turned to Alfred,the small joker tried to take a small table to throw at him while tears were still streaming down his cheeks,but the older joker was able to stop him. Then,Gilbert started to explain everything.

When he finished explaining everything,it took time for him some time to let everything sunk in. When it did,he had gone into a crying mess and beg forgiveness from the cold body.

"Arthur,Arthur,I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

Of course,he did not get an answer and that night,he cried for so long. He cried for Arthur and himself until his head hurt and no more tears dripping down his cheeks while hugging Arthur's dead body as if he will come back alive.

When the funeral was held,no one had seen their queen's real form because Alfred had make sure of it. No one is going to know their queen's real self,he didn't want them to make fun of him. Maybe some of them would not,but some them will. Especially those nasty nobles and he didn't want to hear anything about them saying anything bad of his queen.

That night he also learnt that,the rose he was told to take was Arthur's heart-literally. A beast like Arthur can turn their heart into a red rose and planted them. Nothing will go disturbed it because it have an invisible barrier. But,when their heart was plucked out of the ground along with roots by someone they really love on a full moon,they die.

Gilbert said that Arthur did stopped loving him,but he started to love Alfred back again before he died.

Gilbert snorted when he said that. "But really,he actually just surpressed his love for you. He actually never stopped loving you."

And that is what hit Alfred's heart the most.

Then,he slowly remembered everything from the past. Of how he fall in love with a kind hearted boy who can be grumpy when shy and to how cruel he was when Arthur let him know his true form.

He then remembered how disgusted he was with Arthur and how Gilbert explained how Arthur was after that.

"He cried his heart out after that. He knew,you know. He knew that no one would like it if he show who he really are. But he just did,because he loved you and felt that you will accept him. In the end… you know what happened."

*

 _Run,run and run,that was all he can think of as his legs keep going into the deep magical forest,his breath going rag and warm tears running down his cheeks. He run and run until he stumbled on a log and fall to the ground. He can't take it anymore. Is it wrong to love someone? Is it wrong to love and to be loved even though ugly? Isn't everyone deserve love? Ugly or beautiful? Short or tall?_

 _Is this how human is? His father had told him that he had met his mother,a beautiful kind woman when he was here,they fell in love but she shortly died due to an illness. He remembered the way his father told him,he disguised himself as a human and went into the human kingdom from the forest. He remembered his father told him about how his mother accepted his father and they live happily even though the time was short._

 _How he wish that his story would be the same as his father as he cried his heart out as he sat alone,leaning on the log after he had got up from the ground._

 _He had disguised himself as a young man and that person had saw him. They fell in love in the first sight. It all felt beautiful but he knew,if that person know who he is,he will hate him. However,due to the love he felt and how that person is,he thought that the person will never care about it._

 _So,he revealed himself and he thought that he would still be loved because,if his father got the love of his human mother,then,he could to. Oh how wrong he was. That person instantly hate him and threw crude words towards him. That person even sent the guards to catch him and throw him into the dungeon but he managed to escape._

 _And now,in the forest,he's alone. Albeit everything,he's thankful that the guards didn't chased him until in the deep forest because of the ominous vibe it have whenever the dark fall._

 _He cried his heart out,crying for his heart and for his stupid self,thinking that every human will be the same as his human mother. He cried until he withered out. And that night,every people from the four kingdom swore that they heard a thunderous cries from the forest._


End file.
